Change
by Ching Pow
Summary: It's hard to truely find yourself in a heartless world. Parker has lost her entire inspiration to live and can't find why she even wants to. Her journey to find even the simplest piece of happiness leads her into the deepest of troubles.


**This is my first FanFiction EVER, so I'm kind of new with this. I'm very excited about this story and hope that you'll enjoy it! I have an idea and a plot set in my head but still not quite sure where I want to go yet.. Well, enjoy! **

**I don't own anything you'd recognize.**

The sound of shattering glass is a nightly ritual in this hell I'm forced to call home. I don't understand what they fight about. First it's the money issue, and then someone said something wrong. Next, Dad is being blamed for never staying at home and even going to work? Then, sometimes, depending on what time of year they have a stupid political debate. I mean, are you kidding me!

"I can't believe you!" I hear mom yell, probably in between throws.

"Why can't you just trust me for once? I'm telling the god honest truth!" My dad always says this, what else is he supposed to say, he'll end up dead if he says something else. You have to feel sorry for him. He can't even live in his own house with his family without being accused of a small mistake, translated to be a felony. I'm done listening to all of this. I can't take this stress. Next thing I'll know, I'm getting defensive and end up joining the dog fight. After what happened last time, that is not a good thing. I reach for my iPod and put my ear buds in, finding the loudest song possible to blast away the pain. Face Down; perfect for this situation.

When the song finally ends and is switching, I hear the front door slam. I walk to my window, and see my mom climbing into the car and starting the engine; she all but floored the pedal, reversed out of the driveway and sped down the street into darkness, tires screeching and dogs barking in the houses around us.

I stood there in awe, speechless, slapped silly from the imaginary hand of fear. I didn't know what to do, but cry and need comfort. My mom was gone.

"Dad," I called out with no response, "Dad!" I called again and leaped for my door. "Dad, answer me." I walked a matter of 6 steps from my room to the living room, and saw a whole new world. The living room was completely trashed with the stuffing of pillows and glass broken in various parts of the room. Papers stuck on the walls and frames from being tossed around hoping to find a target, and furniture moved sporadically to different parts of the room. I walked over to my dad, hearing the glass crunch under my shoes. "Dad, it's going to be okay, we'll make it through all this. I promise." I could hear the uncertainty in my own voice, but I somewhat believed myself. "Daddy, just go on to bed, I'll clean this up myself its okay." He still refused to budge. He sat there shaking his head, hunched over with his head in his hands.

"This is going to be a long night," I thought to myself. I strode over to him and sat beside him, hugging him, finding some way to reassure the both of us. I wrapped my arms around him under his arms, "Let's go." I said softly as I lifted him up and carried him to the other end of the house. That night, everything changed. What's going to happen next?

The next morning is a pure blur. The little sleep I did get was a repeat of the previous night. It was just like watching Monday Night Football, where they play the same plays over and over again, just from different angles. I walked to my window to look for any sign of hope that everything was going to be okay. But that hope was destroyed by snow covering the ground and every last trace of happiness erased from our lives.

It was a Saturday and I couldn't stand to be here much longer. Dad was going to be stuck in his room all day, and I would be left to sort my thoughts and somehow magically make everything better, and I just couldn't do that. It was time to get out and distract myself. I could meet up with some friends or go see Colby. I'll go see Colby; he's the only one that could actually understand. I searched through my closet to find some jeans and my boots. I haven't touched them since our last family trip to Perfect North. The best day of my life… On second thought, I'll wear my Converse. I threw on Colby's Nirvana hoodie I stole from him and brushed my teeth. I grabbed my keys and left dad a note on the counter, and sprinted out the door before anyone could stop me. "What next?" I thought.

My truck I had gotten for my birthday had many memories within it. From car wrecks to working for other people, from hospital emergencies to family reunions, to when I walked outside on my sixteenth birthday surprised to see our truck with a poster saying 'Happy Birthday, Parker!', that day I drove for hours on end, so happy, and feeling free.

I drove away from hell, trying to find my safe haven.

I got half way across town and decided to go into Magnolia's, a locally owned coffee shop where _everyone _gathered. Either, for the early morning coffee break, or for a small meeting place, or just your simple, down home evening meal. Therefore, this place was quite popular and well-known. I go in and see no one. "Good," I think to myself. I was _not_ in the mood for conversing. All I wanted was to get my hazelnut hot chocolate and read a Harry Potter Fanfiction I was addicted to.

When I got to the counter, no one was there so I rang the bell and helped myself to a complimentary blueberry muffin.

"Oh! I'll be there in a just a second! Please, have a seat and I'll be right with you!" someone yells from behind the swinging door.

"Okay, thanks." I turn and walk to my favorite spot in the entire restaurant, the back corner I always go to when I'm with Colby.

"Okay! Here we go! What can I get you?" I look up from my phone and see a tall, slender, brunette woman before me. She looked to be about 30- 40 and _very_ energetic, like most people wouldn't be. "I'm sorry I wasn't here right away. All my workers called in today for being snowed in. So I'm all alone. I brought you some warm blueberry muffins, something to keep you from freezing."

"Thanks. They're my favorite," I said with a smile, "Do you need any help? I'm free _all _day. It'd be my pleasure."

"Oh no, sweetie it's okay! I was just thinking about closing up shop anyway. I just turned the 'Open' sign off. No one's out and about anyway, so why should I. Why are you out anyways, darling'? These roads are absolutely horrible."

"It's a _long _story. Believe me I _had_ to get out."

"Well, if you haven't noticed, we've got all day."

"That's true. And I do need someone to talk to. I'm Parker" I extended my hand out to her and gave her a huge ear-to-ear smile.

"I'm Jennifer," She took my hand and gave me a nice, firm hand shake in return, "What can I get you?"

I told that hazelnut hot chocolate was my favorite, she gladly to the back and returned with two, steaming mugs, smelling of sweet hazelnut extract.

This wasn't going to be as bad as I had originally thought. I had someone to confide in and found someone who actually understood me.

I told Jennifer _everything_. From the very first time everything started up to last night when the world just fell apart. We both ended up crying. We were two complete strangers, sitting, holding, crying, and comforting one another. Jennifer understood, she accepted me, she knew I was different from my parents.

"Sweetie, is there anything I can do? I know we just met-what was it, maybe six hours ago-but I feel completely helpless. I just want you to know that if you ever need anything, I'm here, day or night. Heck, if you ever need a place to stay, it's just me and the cat. We're right next door, up the stairs, first door on the right. Here's my number," She scribbled a 10 digit number on to a napkin and pushed it back across the table, "Now, go on and call and meet up with…with…what's his face…"

"Colby," I replied.

"Colby! Go on and call him and plan a place to meet up. Or, heck! Go to his place, knock on the door, wrap your arms around him and just start crying! You need him, Baby Doll!"

"Well, I don't know about that. You were pretty good at keeping me sane. If I were stuck at home I would be completely insane now, I said with a blushing smile.

"Ah, you're just saying that darling! Now go!" She said as she pulled me out of the chair I was in and pushed me towards the door. "Oh and I want to meet this spectacular Colby! Bring him by in the morning. I'll be here!" The way she moved her hands above her head as if she were hanging a banner when she said 'spectacular' made me laugh. She rushed over and pushed me out the door with a million giggles. I had made a new friend. She was going to last a long time, I knew it in my heart. I will always have her.

I walked to my car in silence. I was smiling. And for the first time in forever, I was happy.

**So, what'd ya think? I hope you liked it, PLEASE tell me what you thought and review below! **

**Do YOU like warm, sunny days by the beach? I like warm, sunny days by the beach!**

**Free trip to a warm, sunny beach...**

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**HERE!**


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